PITTSBURGH, PA (May 28, 2016) — 1Hood CEO Celeste Smith has been selected as one of 26 members for the 2016-2018 APAP (The Association of Performing Arts Presenters) Leadership Fellows Program.

The APAP Leadership Fellows Program seeks to build a body of knowledge and contribute to the growth and development of the field of performing arts presenting in a time of unprecedented change. Participants that are selected for the inaugural cohort of Fellows have demonstrated a commitment to a collaborative process that will enhance the knowledge, skills and overall capacity needed to effect change in their current work and for the future.

Celeste Smith is chief executive officer of 1Hood Media, a collective of conscious Hip Hop artists and activists. 1Hood Media utilizes Hip Hop as a means of raising awareness around issues affecting oppressed people around the world. Ms. Smith oversees 1Hood Media operations, finances, programming, communications and development for 1Hood Media. Ms. Smith received her bachelor’s degree in Arts Management and Film and Design Technology from Chatham University. Celeste’s arts and media tutorial focused on theories of black masculinity with a special focus on tropes and historical occurrences. She graduated cum laude, which is one of her proudest achievements.

“I am extremely excited about this opportunity—my first fellowship—because my project is affordable housing for artists. I am very passionate about the issue of displacement when gentrification hits areas that already underpaid artists and/or entrepreneurs have built, so to be able to take a moment to focus on this is quite a blessing.”